Visitors to Appleby Horse Fair enjoyed temperatures of up to 28 degrees under baking sunshine today.
The warm weather brought scores of day trippers to the town on the third day of the annual fair, the biggest gathering of Gypsies and Travellers in Europe.
The heat prompted the RSPCA to issue a reminder about the importance of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of horses and that people should not bring their dogs to the fair.
RSPCA chief inspector Rob Molloy said: “The weather plays a huge role in the fair and the forecast says it’s going to be another hot one.
“Just as it’s important for us to drink plenty and not work too hard in hot weather, it’s important for our horses.
“They need to have regular access to water, be drinking after being worked and be tied up in the shade.
“Owners may need to have more patience than normal as horses sometimes don’t want to drink if they are in an overstimulating environment.
“Day trippers should not be bringing their dogs to the fair.
“Most people know by now that leaving a dog in a car on a hot day can be fatal but unbelievably some people still take the risk and we’ve had to rescue dogs at 14 of the past 15 events.
“This isn’t the only danger though, we now know that exercising your dog on a hot day can be just as hazardous, so please don’t put your pet or yourself in that position.”
Traffic congestion into Appleby built up around the surrounding roads, and dozens of police officers were on hand to direct vehicles around the diversions.
Emergency services were alerted at 6.40pm on Friday after a 15-year-old boy suffered a head injury.
The atmosphere around the fair has been very positive, with thousands gathering around the sands of the River Eden to watch horses being washed and then paraded up down the trotting lane between the town centre and Fair Hill.
